Record cabinet



' Nov, 9 1926. 1,606,178 u. H. mmmt JR., ET AL I RECORD CABINET Filed June 29. 1923 Je( .lha/ent? ttorneyi Patented Nov. 9,l 1926.

Umts' STATES y JAMES H.

recarga PATENT .RECORD CABINET.

-Appiieation med .Tune 2e, 1923. serial No. 648,446.

rl`his invention relates to locking' devices for drawers or slides of cabinets orgthe like. he invention is illustrated in connection with a record or index cabinet. Heretofore, in devices of this kind,.1ocking means have been provided for holding the. severaly drawers or slides inv closed position in the cabinet, but these deviceshavepossessedsthe disadvantage that if the cabinet is locked while one or more of the `drawers are partially pulled out, it is necessary to insert the key in thev lock and unlock the device, and move the drawersor. slides to closed position, and again lockthe device to completely closefthe slides or drawers.V Such operations take time and incase ofemergencies, such as fire,l the users ofthe cabinet cannot take the time to insure that all of the slides or drawers of the cabinets are in closedposition and locked, whereby .the contents may be maintained uninjured. Again, locking devices for installations of this type have heretofore been relatively complicated and expensive tomanufacture and assembleand have been liable toV get kout of order. f p rlhe obj ects of thepresent inventionl are to provide a cabinet having improved locking means, wherebyany of the trays or drawers may be locked merely by shoving them into the cabinet; also to provide locking means 'for devices of this type which are of relatively simple construction and inexpensive to manufacture, which may1 bereadilyv assemv vbledrandconsist offew parts. Further objects are to provide improvementsin drawer orslidecabinets and locking means therefor inthe other respects hereinafter set forth' and claimed. v v

* In theaccompanying drawings: y

Figl is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a cabinet having locking means embodying this invention appliedthereto -for holdfing J@he slides or drawers of the -.cabinet in locked position.

.-Fig. 2 isa similar view of the rear part of `the cabinet showing the locking ,means moved to a position inwhichthe slides are free t0 be shoved into and withdrawn from the cabinet. Y i y Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, on

yan enlarged scale, of the locking device rremovedfrom the cabinet.

L f F ig. 4t isa face 'view of one of the locking dogs `in position on the locking' strip. p

`vln'tlie. drawings there is illustrated a' cabi-i net Ahaving' .slides or drawers B, theslides or drawers B' beingprovided with langesor proiecting'parts C adapted' to be engaged erica.' f

RAND, JR., oF ToNAwANnA, AND 'Louis ofnnoncKnR, or BUFFALOQNEW YORK; SAID BRQECKER AssIGNoR 'ro SAID-JAMES H. RAND, Jn.

by the locking devices for holding the slides or drawers in lockedV position.` Anysuit- .able type of cabinet or slides may beused,` as

desired. Y y Y .y The locking device of Ithepresentinvention, generally stated, includes onelormore members connectedto a part yof the cabinet, such member, when inj locking position, being' adapted to automatically, engage apart or portion onthe drawer orzslide-when. the

V,drawer or slide is shoved into the cabinet to prevent removal of the drawer or-slideiintil it is unlocked; Y. n' 'l the embodiment showin'there are provided a plurality ofl projecting parts or lock 'dogs l() suitably connected to the. cabinet and which engage and' releasably hold the'flanges Clon the drawers or slides. These loclrdogs l0 are preferably provided with cam faces eiigaged by the flanges of the drawers or slidesto ypermit the flanges C to pass rearwardlybeyond the camhportions 11'., The

Alock dogs l0 arealso providedfwith Vshoul-` Vders l2 behind which the Iflangeshof the drawers or slides engage after they have been shoved past the cam faces l1; As illustrate-d,

shoulders l2 maybe formed by n'otching out vportions of the dogsas,in'dicatec`l at 13. The

'dogs l0 are pivotally mounted in anysuitable mannenas, for example,by thelugs 14 on the dogs which engage a carrier` ory lock strip l5 connected bvsuitab'leA means to the cabinet.

flanges C with the ,tail pieces 16 offthe'dogs insures positive movenfientsf of `the A dogs lto locking position. f

VV1l so arranged that they will be moved when K y Y. The dogs arealso preferably pro-l y vide-d withtail pieces '16 which are yengaged The vlocking strip; may be readilyr formed from a strip of sheetV metal Vby punchingout portions to provide apertures `or openings 17 .and pressing outwardly, the lportions ofthe'strip adjacent the' openings y17 thus providing pocketsv 18 Vwhich. receive ,thelugs or pivots' .Oftlledogs, seefFigs. 3

and 4L. The locking strip is mounted on the cabinet so that it may .slide to movethe dogs to and from locking positions". The sleeve or channel 19 preferably has side flanges or portions. 20 which engageV one'. face'. of' the locking strip.v andl af. body portion'V 21 which' covers the opposite or inner side of the locking strip. The dogs may be readily posiA tioned on the locking stripby dropping the dogs into the aperturesl 'in the strip from therear.. I nithis` way the pivot lug'slll-on the dogs will'seat in the pockets 18 and prevent lthe dogs from passing entirely through the apertures 17.-. After the dogs have been dropped into position through the apertures in the locking strip, the channel member may be readily slipped endwise over the lockying strip, whereupon the body portion of-'the channel will, prevent disengagement of.v the dogs from the'lock'ing strip. v

In order to prevent unauthorized opening` ofthe cabinet while the drawers or slides are locked, asby jarring the cabinet to cause the dogs torelease the drawers or slidesY or by inverting the cabinet to cause the dogs to fall to nonelocking position.r means are provided for releasably maintaining the dogs in their locking positions, comprising, generally, resilient or movable means normally acting upon the dogs to urge them to locking positions. For this purpose, in the embodiment shown, there is illustrated a resilient strip 22. of suitable spring metal or the like, which is interposed inthe channel 19 behind thedogs 10. This resilient .strip bears upon the heels 23 of the dogs and tends to hold the dogs in the positions shown in Fig. 2, but at the .same time permitting` the dogs to swing when the flange or other part of the drawer engages the cam faces of the dogs. Asvthe dogs swing, the spring strip 22 is bent or flexed as shown inFig. 1, and upon releaseof the pressure of the flange or part ofy the drawer upon the cam faces of the dogs, the spring acts to return the dogs to locking positions. The locking device may be secured in the cabinet by any suitable means. In the embodiment shown, the channel member 19 is welded or otherwise securled to the rear wall of the cabinet.

Means are provided for moving the locking dogsy to normalv locking or unlocking positions. In the form shown, the cabinet is providedwith a lock24 which has a locking rod25 connected to the turn bolt oftlieilock. Thisvrod25` is provided at its rear end with a crank or offset portion 26 which is inserted in an end :of the lockingv strip 15 and of-4 the spring stripv22. It willv thus be-seen that when the lockandturn rod are in the position .shown .in `Fig. l1, the-dogsarej invll position to engage the parts on the drawers or slides and lock them in place, but! when the lock has beenmanipulated to turn the crank 2,6 ofthe rod r25't`o the position shown inFigi 2,

the locking strip 15 and spring strip 22 will be elevatedto place the dogs 10 in a position in' which the' cam faces 11 and shoulders 12 thereof are clear of the flanges G ofthe drawers,` so that the drawers v,may bereadily moved-into and out of the cabinet.

In the use of this device, when the index installation is opened, as at the beginning of a business day, the key may .be used to unlock ythe ycabinet'a'nd the drawers or slides may then be, withdrawn or partially pulled out andthe key again turnedto lock the den vice. With the lockingV devicein such locking position, it is only necessary then to push the'drawers into the cabinet in order to have them secured against removal. In locking the drawers in osition in the cabinet,the dogs will norma ly fall by gravity to proper locking positions, provided the deviceis set for such positions, but if for any reason they should:` bind or stick', the part'on the drawer engaging the tail pieces of the'loclring dogs insures positive movement of the dogs Vto locking positions, and the resilient strip in addition to normallyy urging the dogszto looking position, prevents any` swinging or movement ofthe dogs from such position, as when the cabinet-or device is inverted'.

le claim as `our invention 1 andav support on which said drawers are adaptedfto'slide, the combination of a movable locking-member, a plurality ofx locking dogs having pivoted portions, .saidi locking member having depressed portions forming tions of said locking member andobstructing removal of saidv dogs fromsaidlocking member. g

2. In a lockingdevice for drawersor slides and a support on which said drawers are adaptedto slide, the combination ofa movable lockingj'memb'er, a locking dog removL ably pivoted on said locking member, and a retaining channell connected'tothe sup"-` port and in which said locking member is movable, said channel having a part? normallyy obstructing removal of said'dog from saidflocking member,and means for moving said locking member to' and Vfrom locking position in said channel.Y f

In a lockingf device for drawers or'slides and* a support on which said drawers are adapted to`slide, thecombinationl of a movable earrier member, said carrier having an opening therethrough,y a clogvhaving pivot portions. removably engaging in bearing portions in said carrier adjacent said opening and apart extending through said opening, means' forf slidably connecting' said carrier to the support,l meansv formoving said" carrier to and from locking positions, and means for normally preventing the disconnectionv of said dogs from said carrier members.

4i. In a locking device forI drawers or slides and a support on which said drawers are adapted to slide, the combination of a niovable carrier member, said carrier having an opening therethrough, a dog having pivot portions removably engaging in open seats said carrier and a part extending through said opening, means for slidably connecting said carrier to the support and having a part for preventing removal of said dog from said carrier, and means vfor moving said carrier and dog to and from looking position.

5. In a locking device iior drawers or slides and a support on Which said drawers are adapted to siide, the combination of a movable carrier member, said'carrier having an opening therethrough, a dog having pivot portions engaging said carrier and a part extending through said opening, a retaining member connected to said support and in which said carrier is movable, a part on said retaining member normally obstructing withdrawal of said dog from said carrier, and means ttor moving said carrier and dog to and :trom locking position.

6. In a locking device for drawers or slides movable on a support, the combination of a carrier member having a plurality of openings therethrough, said carrier member having depressions adjacent said openings, a plurality of dogs having portions projecting through said openings and oppositely disposed parts engaging the depressed portions of said carrier, retaining means v having a part for connection to said support and in which said carrier is movable, said retaining ineans having a part normally obstructing removal-of said dog parts from l said depressions, and means for moving said carrier and dogs to and from locking positions.

7. In a looking device for drawers or slides movable on a support, the combination of a carrier member having a plurality of openings therethrough, said carrier member having depressions adjacent said openings, a plurality ot' dogs having portions projecting through said openings and oppositely disposed parts engaging the depressed portions ot' said carrier, retaining means having a part for connection to said support and in which said Carrier is movable, said retaining means having a part normally obstructing removal of said dog parts from said depressions, and a resilient member interposed behind saidV dogs between said retaining means and said carrier.

JAMEsH. RAND, JR. Louis o. Baonoirnn.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letteljs Patent No. 1,606,178, granted November 9, 1626, upon the application-mf Jan1es`H. Rand, jr., of Tonawanda, and Louis C. Broeeker, of 'Bu'a1o, NewgjYork, for an improvement' in Record Cabinets, an error appears in theigprintedspecication'rquiring coireotion aSfolloWs; Pagef, line 9, claim 4, aftfei'j'gthe Word seats insert the Word in; and that the said Letters Patent should be'rad with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Ofice.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of December, A. D. 1926. [SEAL] M. J. MOORE, v

` Acting Uommssz'oner of Patents. 

